Black Rose
by Lithryelle
Summary: Will be Takari in future. A brother in search of a sister that he had never met. An outcast who wanders without purpose. And a girl whose fate binds them all.


Disclaimer: I won't take what's not mine.  
  
Note: I actually thought of the title before I thought of this story. The Prologue will be a little bit dark but everything else won't be this scary. (I think) And this is AU.  
  
***  
  
~Prologue~  
  
"We're almost there. After we cross that hill, we'll be able to see it!" A man called out to a young boy behind him. He pulled on the reins of his horse to slow the beast into a slow jog and then a fast walk. The boy did the same.  
  
The sun shone upon the two travelers as they made their way across the plateau. The similarities in the physical features of the two marked them as father and son; the same wild dark brown hair with eyes to march. The slightly tanned skin and the sharp nose and mouth. The only difference was the moustache that the elder let grow.  
  
"I can't wait to see mother again. It's been so long. And how is Hikary?" The boy trotted up beside his father and enjoyed the view before him as it became more familiar.  
  
The man laughed.  
  
"She's as bright as her name and she won't stop talking about you. She's very excited."  
  
"She'll be five today, won't she?" The boy looked up at his father.  
  
A nod.  
  
"I can't belief that it's already been three years. How is everyone doing?"  
  
"Just fine before I left to get you. Yamato came back a few days ago and we had quite a celebration! Of course we'll have another one now that you're back. I believe that everyone's probably busy getting ready right now."  
  
"Yamato's already back?" The child questioned with some surprise.  
  
"He did leave earlier than you." The man reminded.  
  
A warm wind blew across the field, picking up fallen flower petals. It was then that both of them noticed that something was missing. Where were the sounds of birds? Their usually enthusiastic chirping could not be heard today. It was much too quiet.  
  
With a look at each other, they dug their heals into their horses' sides. In response, the beasts immediately went into a gallop as if sensing their masters' worries. Upon reaching the afore mentioned hill, the two of them pulled hard on the reins and came to a complete halt.  
  
Down below them a village lay ruined. Blackened grounds and crushed homes with thick grey smoke coming out of them held the last traces of a fire. There was no sign of any people or any life at all.  
  
The two looked down upon their village with disbelieve. Their horses snorted and pawed the ground nervously. Whatever they animal senses were telling them, it made them restless.  
  
With a strangled cry, the man suddenly sped his horse toward the burned down village. The happy and cheerful mood of just a few moments ago was completely gone as the two hurtled downward.  
  
They entered the village carefully, searching for any signs of life and assessing all the damage. Over turned tables and chairs with broken legs were everywhere. Shattered windows and glass on the ground, sharp and cutting.  
  
It was silent and they were silent. Only the soft trotting sound of the horse's hoofs against the road can be heard. They found, on a field, ripped decorations and a feast gone cold and ruined. The table where the food was placed on was practically chopped in half as splinters from the wood littered the ground.  
  
It was the evidence of what would have been a feast and celebration.  
  
The real horror did not begin until they looked inside the houses. Bodies. Lying in grotesque shapes and postures were bodies of men, women, and even children. In every home, dead people piled upon each other, their blood running like little streams. It coated everything. Furniture were red and it was sickly.  
  
Shaking, the father and son made their way through the village until they arrived at one house. It was burned and crushed like the others, there was no difference. But they stopped here for one reason. This was their home where a mother and daughter should be waiting for their return.  
  
The man dismounted from his horse and the son copied his father. They secured their horses to what was left of a fence and slowly mounted the steps to the door. The door was pushed open.  
  
It didn't even take a glance for the man to see what he hoped he wouldn't. A little gasp from behind him alerted to the fact that his son had come up with him. He swiftly turned around and covered the boy's eyes.  
  
"Don't look, Taichi. Don't look!"  
  
But the boy had seen and as hot tears of anger and anguish poured down both their faces, the only thing they could do was hold on to each other.  
  
A young woman with long light brown hair and fair skin was hanging from a noose from the ceiling. She was unmarked. Her beautiful eyes were closed as if in sleep and the lashes brushed against her cheeks. She was terribly pale yet there was a haunting beauty in her. Her arms hang loosely at her side and her bare feet pointed downwards.  
  
She was the boy's mother and she'll never be able to welcome the return of her son.  
  
There was no one else in the room. No bodies. And no trace of a little girl that had lived there.  
  
Everything else was burned or destroyed or cut. The only things that had no mark were the woman hanging in the rope, and below her feet. . .  
  
A black rose.  
  
***End of Prologue***  
  
That was a little too dark for my liking. I have no idea where that came from and I wasn't planning to make it this scary. (I scared myself). Well, this is the Prologue. I don't know where this story is going yet and so there probably won't be fast updates. And also suggestions for this story will be greatly appreciated! 


End file.
